Willie -Tee Trahan" was born in Lafayette, La. on March 1, 1944, son
of a share cropper. At the age of nine he would listen to his brother Harry,
play the french accordion, and learned how to play french music on the harmonica.
One year later , Bessyl Duhon , who was playing in a french band with Harry
and "The Judice Ramblers" lent Willie-Tee one of his guitars, which is how
he learned to play very little guitar.

1955

Willie -Tee joined the Judice School Band. He wanted to play the
saxophone, but none were available. Being big for his age, the band director
strapped the sousa-phone over his shoulders and said,''You can handle this".
So for eight years , he played the sousa-phone in the Judice, Carencro, N.P.Moss
and NorthSide High School Bands.

1958

Willie-Tee played his first professional gig at St. Anthony's Hall
in Lafayette with "Pedro & The Cool Cats" which consisted of the following:
Leader and drummer: Jimmy Hernandez, vocalist, rythum guitar,or piano (if
one was available) Willie Tee, guitar: Raywood Baudoin, and saxophone: Elmo
Gary. They each made $1.25 that night, cover charge was 25 cents.

About three months later Willie-Tee asked Elmo if he could borrow his saxophone
and one week later he was asked by Alvin Dugas to join his band,"Little Alvin
& the ChipMunks".

So Willie quit the Cool Cats, and his father co-signed a note for
a Sears & Roebuck saxophone.That's how he got started on the saxophone.
He played with the Chipmunks for six months or so and then quit and started
his own band, "Willie & the Jokers". He recorded his first 45 record
at J.D.Millers recording studio in Crowley, La .in 1959 on Viking label.
Featuring Kenny Tibbs on vocals, the song was " I Promise" which was successful
for a local record at that time. It sold over 11,000 copies .Soon after that
they recorded a song written by Robert Guidry, better known as 'Bobby Charles'
entitled "They Played Our Song Last Night" . It was a very good song, but
never got the air play that it was due.

Soon after the recordings people would come up to the stage and mistake
Kenny for Willie. They would look at Kenny and say Willie, please play whatever,
so they changed the name of the band to "Kenny And The Jokers " to avoid
confusion, and after nearly 40 years The Jokers are still performing.

1960

In the summer of 1960, Willie-Tee spent two weeks in Port Arthur,Tx.
with his brother Harry, who had his own french accordion band & radio
show with Huey Meaux as the M.C. Harry's drummer had walked out on him, leaving
him without a drummer.In the audience was a barber from Winnie, Tx., who
claimed he could play drums. Out of desperation , Harry had no choice but
to let Huey have a crack at it.Well, needless to say, they had to rough it
through the night. Harry, like Willie-Tee, doesn't feel comfortable having
to speak to an audience, so he turned over his microphone to Huey and hired
another drummer. Fact is, Huey Meaux has helped produce a lot of musicians
including: BJ Thomas, Doug Sham, Red Savine, Freddy Fender, Tommy McClain,Warren
Storm, Barbara Lynn, Jimmy Donley,Willie Tee and others I don't know about.

During his stay in Texas, Willie-Tee learned how to play french music
on the saxophone and had the pleasure to play with the legendary Link Davis,
who happened to be a GUEST STAR one night with Harry's band.

They recorded, " Live at The Purple Peacock" album, several 45s, and
Tommy McLain's " Sweet Dreams", which was a million seller. Also Clint West's
"Big Blue Diamonds", "Mr Jeweler", "When My Heart Hurts No More", "Twelfth
of Never" , and also a 45 on ABC Paramount, which got no air play, entitled
" Ain't Love A Funny Thing."

1969

When Tommy McLain returned from his Sweet Dreams tour, he put a band
together called "The National Soul Revue," which included, Charles Mann:
vocals, Little Alfred: vocals, Willie-Tee : sax and vocals, Dick Lagassy:
trumpet, Danny Sonnier: guitar, Rickey Kelly: bass, Ronnie Broussard: drums,
and Chuck Tomlinson: keyboards . At that time Charles Mann recorded " Red
Red Wine", which was a local hit.

1971

After Tommy and Charles quit, the band was turned over to Willie-Tee
as it's leader. Not wanting to be leader, he hired Allen Wayne as a vocalist
and turned over the band to him. Allen made drastic changes,the band was
now "Machine". Players were, Bass guitar:Steve Morrow, lead guitar: Sunny
Landreth, drums: Steve Dugas, alto sax: Jeff Fournet trombone: Bob Mercer
vocals: Oran Guidry, vocals and sax: Willie Tee, keyboards and vocalist:(
who later became a Seven times Gram-my Awards Winner with the nationally
famous "TOTO" band) Bobby Kimball ."Machine" had very good success in the
local clubs but no recordings were ever accomplished in this group.

1974

After going on the road for one year "Machine" broke up.Willie-Tee
returned with Tommy McLain's "Mule Train Band" who was playing at the Sherrington
Town House lounge in Lafayette. After being there a short time Paul Newman
and Warner Brothers productions moved into the Sherrington to make a movie.
The movie was entitled "The Drowning Pool". Much to Willie Tee's surprise,
they wanted him to sing a Fats Domino song in the movie entitled " My Little
Margie".The movie was released in 1975 and got unfavorable reviews. Oh Well,
you can't win them all.

1976

Willie-Tee recorded on a couple of albums with Tommy McLain and
in 1976 he finally recorded his first 45, "Sick And Tired", a Chris Kenner
song, on Huey Meaux's Crazy Cajun label. That same year the" Mule Train Band"
went on a two week tour to Canada to back up Freddy Fender, who was also
on the Crazy Cajun Label.When Willie-Tee went to lip-sync " Sick And Tired
" on "Passe- Par-tout", a local T.V. show hosted by, Jim Oliver, Jim asked
him to play on his french album, which he did and also played on his next
album.

1980

Warren Storm & Willie-Tee put together a band called "Cypress"
.They had their own half hour TV show every Saturday afternoon on K.A.D.N.
channel 15 from 3:30 to 4:00-P.M. for three years,1981-82-83.

1982

Willie-Tee's second 45 was released " Before The Next Tear-drop
Falls" done instrumentally on his Selmer tenor saxophone with the same sound
track as Freddy's version of his hit record, but didn't get any air
play??????????.

Willie-Tee played with the late & great Leroy Broussard every
Sunday afternoon at Alex Broussard's Ranch in Judice, La., which lasted till
1986.During this time he recorded the "Leroy Broussard And Lagniape" french
accordion album. Willie-Tee says he is proud to have been on his last recording,
God rest his soul.

1983

Another 45 of Willie-Tee was released on Master-track label out of
Crowley La. entitled " Thats The Way Love Goes". One week after the release,
Meryl Haggard released a completely different melody, but a song with the
same title & guess who's record was played?

Warren Storm & Willie-Tee played on an album with Rockin Sidney
entitled,"Boogie Blues-n Zydeco"

1985

They again recorded with Rockin Sidney when John Fogarty, lead
singer with the world famous "Credence Clear Water Revival" group, came down
to Crowley to re-record Sidney's version of "Don't Mess With My Toot Toot"
which was shown on "Show-Time" on a one hour John Fogarty Special.

Warren & Willie-Tee continued to work together till 1989 when
they both had offers they couldn't refuse. Willie-Tee went to the "Top-Inn"
lounge in Lafayette, La. and had his own group, "Willie-Tee & The Heat"
, which lasted until 1992. Then Willie went back and worked with Warren Storm
and the "Yesterdays Band" until 1994.

1994

Willie-Tee re-joined " The Fabulous BoogieKings " who after 20+
years got back together in 1991 under the leadership of Ned Theall and Jon
Smith.

Willie-Tee recorded on a CD with "The Deuce of Hearts", a father and
son duo from Lock-port, La.who are known as Gary T. and Travis T. Some of
the songs they wrote are: "Take My Hand" , "My Belle My Belle" re-recorded
by Wayne Toups.

Willie-Tee is enjoying performing with "T.K. Hulin & Smoke"
. T.K.Hulin, born in St. Martinville, La. is a soulful entertainer, much
like Otis Redding with a whole lot of drive and funk.Some of his regional
hits include,"I'm Not a Fool Anymore" and "Graduation Night". T.K. &
Smoke. Check out T.K. Hulin's latest CD. "Simply T.K.".

Willie"Tee" also performs with The Fabulous BoogieKings,Warren Storm,
Lil-Alfred & Streak, B.B.C, Joe Douglass, The Frankie St. Band, Southern
Breeze, and The Deuce of Hearts.

1999

Willie-Tee released his first CD "I Beleive In My Soul" and
it is now available on his Home Page.

2001

Willie-Tee is also included on the "Louisiana Legends" CD produced
by Paul Marx, owner of K.B.O.N. 101.1 FM radio station,who airs
(Swamp-Pop, cajun, zydeco, country) music.

2004

Warren Storm & I have reasembled our
Cypress Band
of the 80's and we are concentrating all our efforts on booking
and promoting this band. This is why i have taken a vacation from
appearing with The Fabulous BoogieKings.

2005

Our Warren Storm Willie "Tee" &
"Cypress Band
has started off better than we expected thanks to our
devoted Fans from all over Louisiana and the Texas Golden Triangle
area.!!

Willie-"Tee" is one of South Louisiana's finest and respected musician who
has entertained audiences for over 35 years. Willie-Tee has demonstrated
that his love for music should be played from the heart and soul.

2008

After three more years of steady gigging our Warren Storm Willie "Tee"
& "Cypress Band " is tighter than ever. We have just released
our first Cypress Band CD.

2012 I would like to clarify that Warren
Storm is still with the "Cypress Band". He does play some gigs with "The
Lil Band of Gold" which is a compalation of south louisiana musicians who
have their own groups, such as Steve Riley, C.C. Adcock, and David Egan.
We have recorded a new CD that Warren chose not to be on, although
we asked him several times. So we decided to ask Tommy McLain, Charles Mann
& Lynn August to be on it which they gladly accepted. The CD is intittled
"Legends Making
Memories"Please check it out and possibly order one!